The Art of Rube Goldberg: (a) Inventive (B) Cartoon (C) Genius

Not many of us make it into the dictionary as an adjective. But then again, Rube Goldberg was no ordinary noun. He was a cartoonist, humorist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor, and in a 72-year career he wrote and illustrated nearly 50,000 cartoons. Goldberg (1883and#8211;1970) was the most famous cartoonist of his time, best known for his comical inventions, which were syndicated in daily newspapers throughout the world. Author Jennifer George celebrates all aspects of her grandfatherand#8217;s career, from his very first published drawings in his high school newspaper and college yearbook to his iconic inventions, his comic strips and advertising work, and his later sculpture and Pulitzer Prizeand#8211;winning political cartoons. Also included are essays by noted comics historians, rare photographs, letters, memorabilia, and patents, many reproduced here for the first time. Brilliantly designed and packaged to capture the inventiveness of Rube Goldbergand#8217;s work, The Art of Rube Goldberg is a coffee table book the whole family can enjoy.

From Merriam-Websterand#8217;s Dictionary:

Rube Goldand#183;berg. adjective \rand#252;b-and#712;gand#333;l(d)-and#716;band#601;rg\: accomplishing by complex means

what seemingly could be done simply andlt;a kind of Rube Goldberg contraption . . . with five hundred moving parts and#8212;L. T. Grantandgt;; also: characterized by such complex means. also: Rube Goldand#183;bergand#183;iand#183;an

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and#8220;Goldbergand#8217;s cartoons touch the edge of modern art.and#8221;

and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; and#8212;Adam Gopnik, from his introduction

andldquo;There will likely never be another Rube Goldberg. Fortunately, his granddaughterandrsquo;s wonderful book ensures that weandrsquo;ll always remember this one-of-a-kind cartooning legend.andrdquo;

This charming 16-month calendar highlights the work of Rube Goldbergandmdash;inventor, engineer, humorist, and the most successful cartoonist of his timeandmdash;featuring a yearand#39;s worth of his most hilarious and absurdly complicated inventions.

Rube Goldberg is everywhere, from TV commercials and school assignments to the Internet and late-night talk shows! Now, for the first time ever, get your monthly dose of Rube and his genius cartoon inventions with this 16-month calendar. From wacky devices for closing windows and cooling soup to zany methods for dodging bill collectors and squeezing orange juice, 2016 will be fi lled with the madcap

brilliance of the most inventive cartoonist ever.

Will Eisner (1917andndash;2005) is universally considered the master of comics storytelling, best known for The Spirit, his iconic newspaper comic strip, and A Contract With God, the first significant graphic novel. This seminal work from 1978 ushered in a new era of personal stories in comics form that touched every adult topic from mortality to religion and sexuality, forever changing the way writers and artists approached comics storytelling. Noted historian Paul Levitz celebrates Eisner by showcasing his most famous work alongandshy;side unpublished and rare materials from the family archives. Also included are original interviews with creators such as Jules Feiffer, Art Spiegelman, Scott McCloud, Jeff Smith, Denis Kitchen, and Neil Gaimanandmdash;all of whom knew Eisner and were inspired by his work to create their own graphic novels for a new generation of readers.

andldquo;Eisner was not only ahead of his times; theand#160;present times are still catching up to him.andrdquo;

andmdash;John Updike

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andldquo;What Will did was and is timeless.andrdquo;

andmdash;Neil Gaiman

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andldquo;Will Eisner is, and remains,and#160;one of my precious idols.andrdquo;

andmdash;Frank Miller

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andldquo;He was the greatest.andrdquo;

andmdash;Harvey Kurtzman

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andldquo;Will Eisner is a national treasure.andrdquo;

andmdash;Jules Feiffer

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andldquo;Will Eisner is the heart and mindand#160;of American comics.andrdquo;

andmdash;Scott McCloud

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andldquo;Eisner is the single person mostand#160;responsible for giving comics its brains.andrdquo;

andmdash;Alan Moore

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andldquo;Eisner was unique in feeling from theand#160;start that comic books were not necessarilyand#160;this despised, bastard, crappy, lowbrowand#160;kind of art form, and that there wasa potential for real art.andrdquo;

andmdash;Michael Chabon

Jennifer George is the granddaughter of Rube Goldberg. She is a writer and a jewelry and clothing designer. For almost twenty years her label was carried at Bergdorf Goodman, Barneyandrsquo;s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, and dozens of other specialty stores across the U.S. She lives in New York City.

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Adam Gopnik,staff writer for the New Yorker, is a three-time National Magazine Award winner and author of many books, including Paris to the Moon and Through the Childrenandrsquo;s Gate.

Andrew Baron of Popyrus Studio, Inc. came to the world of paper engineering following years as a restorer of antique phonographs, clocks, and other mechanical wonders. His books have won international awards, including the Movable Book Societyandrsquo;s Meggendorfer Prize.

Al Jaffee is an awardandndash;winning cartoonist and cultural icon best known for his work in MAD magazine as one of the andldquo;Usual Gang of Idiots.andrdquo; He is the creator, artist, and writer of the MAD Fold-In, Tall Tales, and Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.

Carl Linich is a scholar, teacher, and performer of traditional Georgian polyphonic singing, and a member of Trio Kavkasia. He is also a visual artist who specializes in original cartoon art.

Peter Maresca is editor and founder of Sunday Press Books, publisher of full-size reproductions of classic comic strips including Little Nemo in Slumberland, Krazy Kat, and others.

Geoff Spear shot all the photography for Batman Collected, Batman Animated, Bat-Manga!, Peanuts: The Art of Charles M. Schulz, and Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross. His award-winning photographs have appeared regularly in Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, GQ, Newsweek, and the New York Times, and on numerous book covers.

Paul Tumey is a writer, designer, and comics historian. His recent work can be found in andldquo;The Masters of Screwball Comicsandrdquo; blog and in Framed!, his monthly column for the Comics Journal.

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Brian Walker has written, edited, and contributed to more than thirty-five books on cartoon art and is the author of the definitive history, The Comics: The Complete Collection.

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